Page 197 of Bleeding Hearts Duet

“I want to see him,” I demanded. “Tell him to come out here.”

Alfredo took a menacing step forward and grabbed me by the arm with a painful grip. “You’re just like your father,” he sneered. “Don’t know your fucking place. But you will before the day is through you Irish cunt.”

He raised his hand and backhanded me, completely shocking the hell out of me. I didn’t have time to fight before he started dragging me towards the door. I tried to scream, but he put his greasy hand over my mouth and grabbed me by the hair.

I clawed at his face with my free hand and raised my knee, aiming for his groin. I missed, and his eyes flared with hatred so fierce I couldn’t help but cower.

“I will punch you right in your fat fucking stomach,” he threatened. “Just try me, bitch.”

I shook my head and pleaded from behind his hand, dragging in what little air he allowed me. I realized that it was already too late. I’d fucked up coming here, and now I needed to be smart. Or he was going to hurt my baby.

The door opened, and he shoved me inside where I met the eyes of another man I recognized. The same one that had been on the street the day Nicole and I went shopping. I’d thought Ryland had sent him, but I was obviously dead wrong. They each grabbed one of my arms and walked me through the dark warehouse, leading me to a stairwell.

As we descended into the bowels of the brick building, I feared that this was it for me. That I was going to die here. But I still held out hope that Brayden was nearby, and that he would put a stop to all of this. It was a ridiculous notion, but it was the only one I had.

Once we were on solid ground, the men walked me down another long corridor, and I shivered when I saw some of the rusty old equipment lying around. It looked like it was an old meat packing plant, and I was officially scared out of my mind.

They opened another metal door where there was a third man standing guard. I spotted Brayden across the room right away, sitting in a chair. His eyes widened in fear the moment he saw me, but it was the voice below me that had my heart leaping out of my chest.

“Baby girl. God, no. Please…”

I looked down to see Ryland sitting on the cement below me, his eye swollen shut and his face badly beaten. I shook the men’s hands off my body and immediately lowered myself beside him, clasping his face in my hands.

“You’re okay,” I breathed. “Oh my God, you’re okay.”

I was filled with relief, and so fucking happy. But Ryland wasn’t. For the first time since I’d known him, there was real fear in his eyes. He pushed me behind him and shielded me with his body as he glanced up at Alfredo.

“What the fuck else do you want?” he pleaded.

“That depends.” Alfredo smiled. “How much is the little Irish bitch worth to you?”

“Everything,” he said without hesitation. “I’ve already told you. The rest of the shares? I don’t care. Name it, and it’s yours.”

Alfredo released a hearty laugh and pointed a finger at Ryland in amusement. “You see, Jacob. That’s why I like you. That loyalty. You would have made a great addition to my crew.”

Ryland didn’t look at all flattered by the compliment, and he tightened his grip on my hand as I clung to his body.

“But the thing is,” Alfredo continued. “I’m already loyal to someone else. I’m sure you can understand.” He shrugged. “It’s a long-term business arrangement. Can’t really back out on it now.”

“Whatever Robert’s offered you, it can’t be more than what I’ll give you,” Ryland said. “Anything you want.”

Alfredo looked insulted as he muttered something in Italian. “That wasn’t the deal we made six years ago, amico.”

The conversation I had with Ryland drifted back to my mind. He told me he’d paid Alfredo to spare our lives for seven years. The clock had slowly been ticking away, and we were supposed to have another year.

I glanced at Brayden across the room and snarled.

“How did you get mixed up in this?” I demanded. “What the hell were you thinking?”

Ryland squeezed my hand in warning, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t take my eyes off Brayden. Off the cause of all of this. It was his fault we were in this room. His fault that all of this was happening. I didn’t care if it was logical, I hated him for it.

“I’m so sorry, Brighton,” he whispered. “I thought… I thought I could change things. I didn’t know…”

“It’s just business,” Alfredo remarked flippantly. “I’m a man of my word. You two were dead that night Frankie fucked up. You should just be thankful for the six extra years this one bought you.”

I closed my eyes and pressed my face against Ryland’s back. I didn’t want to accept that this was it. But his words sounded so final.

Neither Ryland or Brayden was bound, and I wondered why. But when I glanced up at Alfredo and his companions again, I saw the guns strapped to their hips. There was no way out of here. Frankie had carved this path for us, and it couldn’t be changed. I pressed a hand to my belly as a sob escaped from me. And then I thought about Mick and hope bloomed inside of me like a ray of sunshine. I’d only been here ten minutes, so maybe if I could figure out a way to stall, then we’d have a chance.

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